Police in Australia have shot dead a 15-year-old boy in a skate park, claiming he had threatened them with knives.

The officers in the southern city of Melbourne said the youth had continued to approach them with the weapons even though they had fired warning shots.

The boy, named as Tyler Cassidy, was also hit twice with pepper spray.

The boy died at the scene after being fired on by several times by officers.

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His family condemned the shooting, saying: “The entire family and friends of Tyler Cassidy are appalled at the actions by Victoria Police last night.”

Speaking after the event, Victoria state police assistant commissioner Tim Cartwright said police were called to the park after several people reported seeing a young man behaving erratically.

The boy had stolen knives from a nearby department store earlier in the day, Mr Cartwright said.

“He was irrational. He was yelling and screaming and, as far as we can tell, armed with two knives at that stage,” he said, adding that the situation was a tragedy but that officers had acted appropriately. The shooting is now under investigation